Apparatus for destructive distillation of hydrocarbons



B. Q. P. FOSS Dec. 4, 1934.

APPARATUS FOR DESTRUCTIVE DIS'IILLAIION OF HYDROGARBONS Original Filed g- 1924 2 SheetsSheet 1 Dec. 4, Q. P. FOSS APPARATUS FOR DESTRUQTIVE DISTILLATION 0F HYDROCARBONS Original Filed Aug. 11, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

.BEN-MIMIN-QP FojiDEzmsso.

Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Benjamin Q. P. Foss, deceased, late of San Francisco, Calif., by Clarinda G. Foss, administratrix, San Francisco, Calif.

Reilled ,for abandoned application Serial No. 731,306, August 11, 1924. This application September 5, 1930, Serial No. 479,987

claims. (01. 196-110 This application is a reflled application for abandoned application filed Aug. 11, 1924, Ser. No. 731,306, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention has to do with methods and apparatus for the destructive distillation of crude petroleums and their derivatives, and it isthe general object of the invention to provide means for the production, from ordinary petroleum or hydro-carbon fluids, of a very high percentage of motor fuel.

The still hereinafter described produces substantially but one product, a high gravity petrol of a pinkish color, which may be subsequently rendered water white if desired. The percentage of production depends, of course, upon the character of the initial hydro-carbons, but in any case is comparatively large as all of the initial liquid is converted into motor fuel, with the exception of the heavy tarry residue that may be used for road construction and similar purposes.

The outstanding feature of the method is the destructive distillation of the hydro-carbons at comparatively high temperature and in the presence of dissociated water, and the apparatus hereinafter described is the present preferred form for accomplishment of the purpose of the invention. In order to make the invention clear to those skilled in the art, a description will first be given of said apparatus and of its preferred method of operation, reference being had for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan section of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation and section as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section, taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig.1; Fig. 4 is a detail section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed section of the injector, taken as indicated by line 66 on Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the relief valve used in the apparatus; and Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of a burner.

The main part of the apparatus is made up of a furnace F, in whichheat is' generated by com-' bustion and in which the water is initially heated to dissociation temperatures, and a still, indicated generally by the letter S, in which the hydro-carbons are put into contact with the dissociated water vapor at suitable temperature for the reaction to be described. Furnace F, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, is suitably constructed with walls 10 on a foundation 11 and contains two vaporizing and dissociating coils or generators 12 and 13. Water is fed to these coils or generators through pipes 14 and 15 from two needle valves 16 by which feed water to the two coils or generators may be independently and very accurately controlled. Water is fed to the valves through water feed line 18 at a suitable pressure sufllcient to overcome the pressure in the system interior of the valves; and the, water passes from the needle valves through check valves 19 to prevent any back flow in case excessive pressure is raised.

In front of the dissociating coils or generators in the furnace a brick checker-work wall 20 is placed to prevent the flame from burners 21 playing directly upon the coils or generators. This is to prevent burning or oxidization of the coils or generators at the temperature maintained in the furnace, that temperature being normally about 2600 F. to 2700" .F., it being desired to deliver the dissociated water vapor from the coils or generators at such a temperature that the dissociated water will reach the still tubes at about 2200 F.

The products of combustion from furnace F pass through another brick checker-wall 25, then through a passage 26 into one end of the lowermost transverse flue 2'7 in the furnace structure. This furnace structure may preferably be composed of suitable brick and is supported preferably upon a concrete foundation 28, above the ground so as to allow cooling air to keep the foundation from becoming excessively hot. The furnace structure is supported at a slope from end to end, as is best illustrated in Fig. 2. This structure comprises longitudinal side walls 29 and a suitable number of transverse walls that divide the interior of the structure into the transverse flues 27. These transverse walls have openings 30, through them at opposite ends so that the hot products of combustion from the furnace will pass in zigzag fashion from the lowermost transverse flue 27 to the uppermost transverse flue 27, where they finally pass out through a stand pipe 31 and a suction pipe 32 to a suction blower 33, where the products of combustion may be exhausted into the atmosphere or may be fed to any apparatus where their heat may be utilized. At average operation these products of combustion will leave the suction pipe 32 at approximately 2200 F., or more, and consequently the blower 33 is placed in a tank 34 which may be kept full of cooling water to keep the blower at a workable temperature.

Each transverse flue 27 of the furnace struc ture has in it a still tube extending through the flue from end to end and extending out through side walls 29 of the furnace structure. These tubes rest at their ends, where they pass through the side walls, on rollers 36 carried on channel beams 37 mounted in the side walls; the channels being so located and the rollers being of such size as to support the still tubes in the positions hereinafter described.

These roller supports allow the tubes to contract and expand freely independently of contraction and expansion of the still structure, and, ii desired, a central roller support may be placed under each tube at 36a. to prevent sagging. Outside the structure walls the ends of these still tubes are joined by the return Us so to which the tubes are electrically welded, so that the tubes and We form a composite still tube continuous and unjointed from end to end. It has been explained how the still structure slopes from one end to the other in a direction transverse of the extent of tubes 35; and each tube is supported so that it slopes slightly from its inflow to its outflow end, adjacent tubes sloping in opposite direction, as will be readily understood. This slight slope is shown in Fig. 5 and it is obtained by proper sizes of supporting rollers 36. Thus the still from end to end has a con tinuous slope from its intake to its outlet, which causes all liquids to flow freely to'the final outlet end without being trapped.

The initial hydro-carbons are fed into the uppermost end of the composite still tube through a pipe as by the action of an injector Ii, the details of which will be later explained. Oil is fed to this injector from a pump 46 under a suitable pressure and through a check valve 47. A meter may be interposed for measuring the oil. The oil pressure at this point is slightly greater than the pressure at which the produced hydro-carbon vapors are finally released from the still. The release pressure controls the pressure at which the hydro-carbons are treated in the still, and

- that pressure may vary somewhat with the character of oil being treated and may also vary with variations in the treatment temperature. Typical temperatures have been given suitable to an average grade of crude petroleum and the pressures given are also typical. If the working release pressure is 75 lbs.. per sq. inch, on the vapor'line, the crude oil pressure at the injector may be 80 pounds per sq.-iri. This injector is also fed with dissociated water vapor through a line 48 coming from line 49 which-feeds the dissociated water vapor from coil of generator 12 to distribution pipes so that lead into the return Us at one side of the still. There is at this side of the still one pipe 50 for each return U and these pipes leadinto the Us in such direction and at such a position that the dissociated water vapor is directed in to the still tubes in the direction in which the hydro-carbons are flowing through these tubes. At the oppositeside of the still there is a similar dissociated water vapor line 51 fed from coil or generator 13 to deliver dissociated water vapor to pipes 52 that feed into the opposite'return Us and feed into alternate still tubes, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. All of the pipes exterior of the furnace structure are properly insulated to prevent heat loss 'by radiation, so that the dissociated water vapor reaches the hydro-carbons at the injector and in the still tubes in a state of comparatively high dissociation and at approximately a temperature of 22Q0 F.. and at a pressure sufiiciently above the vapor pressure in the still to cause the water vapor to be jetted into the tubes at considerable velocity. The dissociated water vapor, by being thus injected into the hydro-carbons at distributed points, and by being forcibly injected into them, causes a. thorough admixture and materially aids in completion of the chemical reactions efiecting the oxidation of carbon and the hydrogenation of the hydrocarbons in the process of destructive distillation.

At suitable points from certain return Us at one side of the still stand pipes 55 rise to a vapor line 56. This vapor lines need not be heat insulatedas it leads through a release valve 57 to a condenser 58, in which the vapors are condensed at or near atmospheric pressure. Stand pipe 31 through which the products of combustion are withdrawn from the furnace structure has at its upper end a release valve to that is so controlled by a spring as normally to be closed by the suction exerted by pump 33. if for any reason the pump should fail, the release of the suction allows valve 60 immediately to open and the products of combustion will pass to atmosphere.

- The final discharge end of the composite still tube passes down into a stand pipe 61 forming one leg of a trap in which there is located an automatic residuum release valve 62, which, in the illustration given, will be set to open at about lbs. per sq. in. The heated residuum that flows down to the lower end of the still must pass through this trap in order to escape; and the trap prevents any vapors from passing out of the lower end of the still. The heavy liquids accumulating in the trap may be blown out from time to time as-ls necessary by the simple operation of increasing the opening pressure of the automatic vapor release valve 5'? to a point above 77 pounds per sq. in., and the immediately increased pressure in the still will then force release valve 62 open and force the heavy liquids out. It may be noted at this point that this operation of forcing out the heavier liquids must at least be performed every time the still is to be cooled 01f, because the heavy liquids otherwise would solidify in the trap and be difficult of removal.

The dissociating coils or generators and the still tubes are all preferably made of seamless cold drawn steel of suflicient weight to withstand the operating pressure andthe operating temperatures. It will be noted that no direct flame comes into contact with the coils or generators and still tubes, so that no actual combustion takes place against their surfaces. Flame in the furnace will preferably be maintained so that the products of combustion are not oxidizing in character-at the temperatures used; and the result of all these things is a 'very long life of coils or generators and'still tubes. If for any reason it is desired to remove or replace a tube it is only necessary to lift the roof of the furnace structure over that tube, cut out the tube with a. torch and weld a new tube into place. To facilitate such repairs the roofing over each furnace flue 27 is preferably composed of only one thickness of heavy brick (see Fig. 5 at 27a) of suitable length to span the flue, it being then only necessary to lift these bricks away from a fiue to have access to the tube.

' In the drawings shown furnace F fired with two burners 21,'and each of these burners may be fed with any suitable fuel, as with gas through a gas pipe 70','and may also be fed with dissociated water vapor through a line 71 leading from coil or generator 12 The details of a preferred form of burner are shown in Fig. 9, where the burner tube is shown at 75. This burner tube has a spider '76 at its rear end by which the tube is supported on gas pipe '77, and throughthis spider air is admitted to the rear end of the tube. Gas pipe 77 carries at its forward end a mixing chamber 78 provided with perforations 79. From mixing chamber 78 a pipe 80 leads on forwardly to another mixing chamber 81 similarly provided with perforations 82. In these mixing chambers the gaseous or vaporous fuel and the dissociated water vapor, introduced through pipe 83, are mixed and the mixture is delivered through perforations 79 and 82 out into the burner tube '75. Perforations 79 and 82 face outwardly and forwardly so that they jet the mixture out into the air, causing an intimate commingling of the mixture with the air and causing a forward movement of air and vapors through the tube. This forward current through the tube strikes a freely revolvable propeller 84 which further commingles the constituents of the mixture. The proportionate amounts of gaseous or vaporous fuel are controlled by a valve 86 and dissociated water vapor is controlled by a jet or orifice of proper size, so as to maintain the desired volume and quality of combustion;

and the fuel and dissociated water vapor are burned in such amanner as to leave substantially no unburned carbon from the fuel.

With this burner, very high and uniform temperature may be maintained; and the use of the dissociated water vapor in the burner has the effect of making the furnace operation substantially automatic. If, for any reason, the water feed to the still should be obstructed or cut off, the feed of dissociated water vapor to the burner soon lessens or ceases and the temperature at the burner correspondingly falls. This fall in temperature automatically prevents the still tubes from becoming overheated, as they might be if the furnace temperature were kept up after the 'is stopped.

The details of the release valves used 'in the apparatus are shown in Fig. 8. The valve has a body 90 with a passage controlled by a valve proper 91 mounted on stem 92 that passes out through a stufling box 93 adapted to hold an asbestos packing. Stem 92 passes up through a spring seat plate 94 and at its upper end is guided by a bearing 95 mounted on a head plate 96. Head plate 96 is adjustably mounted on two vertical rods 97, mounted at their lower ends on cover plate 98 of the valve, these-rods passing through the spring seat plate 94. Two compression springs 99 are confined between plates 96 and 94 and the downward pressure of these springs on plate 94 may be adjusted by adjusting either the position of plate 94 or that of plate 96, or both. Plate 94 is adjustably connected with stem 92 by means of two lock nuts 100, and plate 96 is likewise adjustable on vertical rods 97 by means of lock nuts 101. Springs 99 are set in water jackets 99a to keep them cool so that they do not lose their temper.

Injector I, as shown in detail, in Figs. 6 and 7, comprises mainly an outer ring casing 110 within which an inner grooved ring 111 is set and preferably welded. The groove 112 in its inner ring provides an annular passage for the oil completely around the ring and the ring is provided with a series of perforations 113 through which the oil flows inwardly into the interior where it passes directly into a longitudinally flowing stream of dissociated water vapor that is fed to the injector through pipe48. This vapor stream, flowing at comparatively high velocity, picks up the finely divided oil and carries it through pipe into the uppermost end of the still tube. The oil may be initially preheated if desired, and its intimate contact with the dissociated water vapor at high temperature'causes an initial decomposition in the direction of destructive distillation before the oil has entered the still. At least a fair portion of the oil may also be vaporized at this point. Upon entering the highly heated still tubes, which are maintained at a temperature somewhat about 2200 F., the remaining vaporizable portions of the oil are vaporized, and at the successive intimate intermingling with dissociated water vapor, and at increasing temperatures as the lower end of the still is approached, the oils are carried progressively through operations of destructive distillation until only a very heavy carbonaceous or tarry liquid remains to flow out of the lower end of the still tube 61 Fig. 5 to the automatic residuum relief valve 62. The vapors and gases produced rise in the vapor line Fig. 5 to the automatic vapor relief valve 57, and the pressure being then released, are condensed in the condenser. The temperature in the condenser is maintained low enough to cause full condensation of all water and hydro-carbon vapors; and the water may be separated from the hydro-carbons either by fractional condensation or by gravity separation after condensation. The water may be returned to the apparatus to be revaporized and dissociated, while the hydro-carbon products may be treated in any manner desired for commercial use.

It may be well at this point to state that it is of little consequence in this method whether the initial oil be free of water or contain considerable water. If the oil contains water, it is only necessary to cut down the amount of water independently fed into the apparatus.

There is no lubricating oil product from this operation, all of the lubricating values theoil being destroyed by the destructive distillation.

Having described a preferred form of the-invention, the following is claimed:

1. An apparatus for destructive distillation of hydro-carbons, embodying a furnace or fire box, heating means for the furnace or fire box, a furnace structure having flues connecting with the furnace, the furnace structure sloping from end to end, having a series of transversed flues interconnecting to form a continuous zigzag passage throughout the length of the furnace structure, for gases of combustion and connecting with the furnace, combustion means to heat the furnace, a water vaporizing and superheating steam coil or generator in the furnace, the still structure having a transverse still tube extending through connecting adjacent ends of said tubes to form a continuous still tube of zigzag formation leading from the highest point of the still tube, and continuing back and forth through the several furnace structure flues to the lowermost end of the still tube, means to feed hydro-carbons into the highest end of the still tube, each individual tube being mounted to have a slope in the direction of the flow of hydro-carbons towards the lowermost end of the still tube, a trap connecting with the lowermost end of the still tube to trap heavy tarry residue, and check the flow of hydrocarbon vapors, means to inject superheated steam at stated temperatures from said vaporizing and superheating coil or generator under pressure into the return Us of the still tubes in the direction lengthwise of the individual tube, and in the direction of the How ofhydro-carbons.

2. An apparatus for destructive distillation of hydro-carbons, embodying a furnace or fire box, heating means for the furnace or fire box, a furnace structure having fiues connecting with the furnace, the furnace structure sloping from end to end, and having a series of transversed fiues interconnecting to form a continuous zigzag passage throughout the length of the furnace struc ture, for gases of combustion and connecting with the furnace, combustion means to heat the furnace, a water vaporizing and superheating coilor generator in the furnace or fire box. The still structure having a transverse still tube extending through each of the furnace structure flues, return Us connecting adjacent ends oi said tubes to form a continuous still tube of zigzag formation leading from the highest point of the still tube, and continuing back and forth through the several furnacestructure fines to the lower most end of the still tube, means to feed hydro carbons into the highest end of the still tube, each individual tube being mounted to have a slope in the direction of the flow of hydro-carbons towards the lowermost end of the still tube, a trap connecting with the lowermost end of the still tube to trap heavy tarry residue, and'check the flow of hydro-carbon vapors, means to inject superheated steam at stated temperatures from said vaporizing and superheating coil or generator under pressure into the return Us of the still tubes in the direction lengthwise of the individual tube, and in the direction of the flow of hydro-carbons, an automatic vapor pressure relief valve to take off the hydro-carbon vapors and gases from the still tubes leaving the still structure at a certain predetermined pressure,

' an automatic residuum pressure relief valve in the trap at the lowermost end of the still tubes adapted to open at a somewhat higher pressure to allow the heavy tarry residuum to be taken from the still tubes automatically and under pressure, the hydro-carbonsand supherheated steam at stated temperatures being introduced into the still at a pressure higher than that at which the vapor pressure relief valve opens.

3. An apparatus for destructive distillation of hydro-carbons, embodying a furnace or fire box,

of the furnace structure flues, return Us connecting adjacent endsof said tubes to form a continuous still tube of zigzag formation leading from-the highest point of the still tube, and continuing back and forth through the several furnace structure lines to the lowermost end of the still tube, meansto feed. hydro-carbons into the highest end of the still tube, each individual tube being mounted to have a slope in the direction of the flow of hydro-carbons toward the lowermost end of the still tube, a trap connecting with the lowermost end of the still tube to trap heavy tarry residue, and check the flow of hydrocarbon vapors, means to inject superheated steam at stated temperatures from said vaporizing and superheating coil or generator under pressure into the return Us of the still tubes in the direction lengthwise oi the individual tube, and in the direction of the flow of hydro-carbons, a baiiie wall in the furnace or fire box between the heating means and the generator coil for vaporizing and superheating water vapor only, to prevent contact of flame in combustion with the gener-- ator coil, an exhaust pump at the highest end of the furnace structure flue passage to exhaust hot gases of combustion therefrom.

d. A still comprising a suitable housing structure with a foundation side and end walls and a roof, said structure sloping from end to end, transverse division walls dividing the interior of the structure into a number of transverse fines connected alternately at opposite ends to form a continuous zigzag passage from one end of the furnace structure to the other, an individual still tube extending across the furnace structure in each flue, return Us connecting adjacent ends of said tubes to form a continuous zigzag still tube extending from the upper to the lower end of the furnace structure, the individual tubes being supported to give each of them individually a slope in the direction of flow of fluids introduced at the upper end of the still tubes.

5. A still comprising a suitable housing structure with a foundation side and end walls and roof, said structure sloping from endto end, transverse division walls dividing the interior of the structure into a number of transverse flues connected alternately at opposite ends to form a continuous zigzag passage from one end of- CLARINDA G. FOSS, Administratria: of Benjamin Q. P. Foss, Deceased. 

